Hi Anne and all, I haven't seen that title. Do you mean "Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites"? What I have in mind is a book similar to "The Complete Metalsmith". I haven't seen a book of similar style covering meteorite prep & preservation. Maybe a lot of that material is spread throughout the internet, but so is the stuff covering metalsmithing. I think it would be nice to have it in one handbook.
Best regards, Mark --- On Sun, 11/15/09, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > From: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Guide to "Newbies" (was Meteorites & > Competition) > To: [email protected], [email protected] > Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009, 11:45 AM > Hello Mark and List, > > There is already a book that answers a lot of your > questions, not all of > them, but quite a few. It is the Handbook of Meteorites by > O. Richard Norton. > I certainly would recommend getting it. > > Also I would like to add one thing to the discussion about > helping new > meteorite enthusiasts; It is not because you did not see a > response on the List > that no help of response was sent. It is often a whole lot > better to email > that person privately to ask for additional details to > narrow down the > problem, or simply to protect that person from some public > embarassement. I know I > probably write 50 private emails for every one posted here. > > > And then we are not all always glued to our computer > (believe it or not!!), > personally I have a book (about meteorites of course) to > translate as > quickly as possible so it will be available in Tucson. > > And Norbert Classen and I have the dubious honor of having > to answer every > question that comes in on the IMCA questions email address. > Also time > consuming. > > And right now I have a whole lot of snow to shovel!!! > Have a nice day. > > Anne M. Black > _http://www.impactika.com/_ (http://www.impactika.com/) > [email protected]_ > (mailto:[email protected]) > > Vice-President, I.M.C.A. Inc. > _http://www.imca.cc/_ (http://www.imca.cc/) > > > > In a message dated 11/15/2009 8:30:51 AM Mountain Standard > Time, > [email protected] > writes: > Dear List, > > I think Adam has some great points. I think people > forget how rare these > things are. Prices often don't reflect that. > > I think people are more likely to give advice when a > "newbie" asks > something like, I've ruined several slices trying to do > such & such, I've tried A > and B, what else should I do. it shows that they're > paying their dues, but > need a little advice which they can probably absorb > quickly, saving an > "expert's" time. The sad thing is that a few > slices/specimens have been ruined > (maybe from "cheap, common NWA" material, but very rare, > finite material > nonetheless). > > How do you balance the protection of trade secrets and your > business vs. > the ideal of preserving this wonderful material? I > suppose there are > techniques which are common in parallel fields like > lapidary, which one can assume > they'll figure it out the hard way (both hard on their > time/wallet but also > hard on meteorites). I would say one should be > somewhat eager to help in > that case, since keeping quiet won't deter them but only > make possible the > damage of more specimens. However, offering help > takes precious time, busy > people lack. > > What about the possibility of a guidebook highlighting some > of these > "common" things? The first person(s) with the ability > to write said tome could > profit from the book sales, and many novices would benefit > from the tips. > Sensitive trade secrets could be mentioned by name and the > disclaimer given > that you will have to experiment at the peril of your > collection and finances - > or maybe find a willing mentor. > > The book would have to be relatively comprehensive - > covering the common > things which can be found in a lapidary book, but from a > meteorite point of > view (there might be possibility of tips like "it's wise to > practice this > technique using sandstone(?) because it approximates > XYZ meteorites very well, > and you can rest assured that your learning curve isn't > busting the bank"). > And it would also cover the meteorites specific topics like > chemicals/oils > to avoid, etc. Maybe some explanations of the > different textures you will > encounter in meteorites. Maybe a section on thin > sections, epoxy plugs, and ? > > There might be room for general things like an explanation > meteorite > classifications, collecting strategies, strategies for > documenting a collection of > specimens, a list of common vendors, etc. There are > lots of interesting, > useful things that could be added that I can't > imagine. Of course, you would > have to have environmental, health and safety concerns > highlighted and > repeated throughout the book! > > I know this may sound a little out in left field, but it > would help with > the overall conservation of specimens and/or reduce poor, > albeit, harmless > results (as well as be an opportunity to make some > money). Could it result in > increased completion? Probably so, but those rushing > head long into the > wilderness probably can't be stopped anyway. And > those who are inspired by the > book may take a stab at it, but realize it's expensive, > hard work and go > back to only buying/trading/collecting. This book may > exist, but I don't > think so. I can think of a few books which explain > etching and nickel testing, > but I can't think of anything which comprehensively covers > the preservation > and preparation of meteorite specimens. > > Personally, I will always choose to buy from a handful of > dealers held in > high regard, who have invaluable reputations to protect (or > middlemen I trust > as friends I can trust). And some field hunters I > know. I've decided to > avoid attractive specimens of questionable pedigree, unless > I'm willing to > make the often expensive choice to advertise them as > "believed to be XYZ > specimen". So this book would not > cause the big dealers to lose my (rare) > business. When a "newbie" asks a question, you can > point them to the "Bible". > > So what do you guys think? Crazy? > Brilliant? (Someone with too much time > on his hands tonight?) Is this an issue that's > already on the IMCA "to-do" > list? Is this not commercially viable? > > (Cricket chirping?) ;-) > > Clear skies, > Mark > > ______________________________________________ http://www.meteoritecentral.com Meteorite-list mailing list [email protected] http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
